If you’re a person who loves the taste of tomatoes but struggles with indigestion caused by their acidity, then you’ll want to keep reading.
The Sweetie tomato is low in acidity and sweet in flavor, which makes it perfect for all your tomato recipe needs. Its delectability will have you desiring to use it in all your recipes.
We’ve complied with this information so you can start growing your Sweetie tomatoes soon!
Looking for Sweetie tomato seeds? Check availability.
History
The Sweetie tomato is a United States native fruit. It was first introduced to the market in 1980 by the Petoseed Company.
Petoseed was acquired by Seminis Vegetable Seeds, which is now part of Bayer, in 1995. The company was known for developing various hybrid crops with idealistic traits to resist insects and diseases.
Some describe the Sweetie as a cross between a grape tomato and a cherry tomato, though it is classified as a cherry tomato.
The Sweetie is an open-pollinated hybrid tomato. However, many sources incorrectly cite it as an heirloom tomato because it is stable and bred true as long as it remains isolated from other tomato varieties.
As of 2023, it is too young to be considered an heirloom tomato. Heirloom tomatoes must be at least 50 years old. The Sweetie will become eligible for Heirloom status in 2030.
Characteristics of the Sweetie Tomato
Appearance
Sweetie tomatoes are 1-1.5 inch bite-sized fruit. They might be classified as cherry tomatoes but grow in grape-like clusters. So it’s understandable that people consider them a cherry/grape tomato mix.
The plant has tall vines that produce bountiful fruit all season long.
Taste
The Sweetie tomato is known for its noticeably sweet taste and low acidity.
Texture
This tomato is tender and firm.
Eating the Sweetie Tomato
The Sweetie tomato is a versatile, delicious fruit no matter how you choose to eat it. It’s especially great for snacking directly off the vine. You might want to watch the kids and pets around this fruit because they’ll love sneaking a taste too.
You can enjoy these fruits in salads, sauces, sandwiches, soups, and jams. It’s also a beautiful garnish to add some vibrance to any plate.
This is a fine tomato to introduce if you have a picky little one. Kids love sweets.
Sweetie Tomato Recipes
The Best Tomato Soup Recipe to Eat with Grilled Cheese
Nutrition
Tomatoes are low in calories, so they are a great snack to keep you on track if you’re watching your intake. They also contain Vitamins A and C for your immune system. Vitamin A also supports healthy growth and development in children.
Like other tomatoes, these tomatoes contain lycopene. Lycopene is a robust antioxidant that is being researched for its cancer-fighting properties. It’s also believed to reduce inflammation and help prevent blood clots.
However, the Sweetie tomato is higher in sugar than most tomatoes, so don’t go too wild at once, especially if you’re diabetic.
Freezing
Cherry tomatoes are the easiest tomatoes to freeze because they do not have to be blanched before freezing.
Wash, remove stems and drain in a colander. Place them on a cookie sheet with wax paper and freeze for an hour or until firm.
Transfer the tomatoes into freezer-safe bags or containers, lay them on their sides, and jiggle for them to settle.
You can keep them frozen for up to a year, but they’re best used within six months.
Growing the Sweetie Tomato at Home
Start your Sweetie tomatoes in growing containers. Tomatoes grow best in soil that is at least 70 degrees.
If you want to keep them in containers, you’ll need a large one, like a half-wine barrel, since the vine grows up to six feet tall.
If you’d like to transplant tomato seedlings outside after the threat of frost has passed, space two feet apart if planting in a tomato trellis or three to four feet if allowing the vine to spread.
Look for great companion plants for your Sweetie tomatoes. Avoid planting them next to other tomatoes. They’ll stay true to their nature if grown apart from other tomatoes and less susceptible to common diseases.
Sweetie tomatoes will benefit from tying to support them as they grow because of how tall they can get.
Mulching
You’ll want a thick mulch to contain weeds. Many tomato gardeners ignore this step, but you’ll be glad you did once you incorporate mulching into your tomato growing practice!
Mulch also acts as a sun barrier on those hot summer days and keeps the soil insulted and warm on cooler days.
Instead of tossing or burning your fall leaves, save them to use as mulch. You can also use straw, compost, grass clippings, or bark chips.
Watering
Water once a week, but avoid leaving the leaves wet as moisture can bring in disease.
An excellent tip to avoid wet leaves is to water them early in the morning so the sun has plenty of time to dry them before the day’s heat sets in.
Pruning
Prune the suckers or shoots that grow between the main stem and branches. Doing so will improve the strength of the plant and fruit production.
Harvesting
It takes 50-79 days for Sweetie tomatoes to reach maturity. You can harvest any time after red coloring appears, but the flavor is best when the fruit easily releases from the vine.
Sweetie tomatoes grow on indeterminate vines, so they will continue to produce fruit after the initial harvest.
Where to Buy the Sweetie Tomato
You usually won’t find them at traditional supermarkets but look for them at local farmers’ markets during the summer and fall.
Buy seeds on Amazon today and start your own Sweetie garden at home!
Wrapping Up the Sweetie Tomato
Is your mouth watering like ours? You can start growing Sweetie tomatoes during your next planting season and enjoy the taste of homegrown cherry tomatoes!
Interested in growing other tomato varieties? Check out our Tomato Plants page to learn more about other varieties.